On December 6, 1913, German archeologist Ludwig Borchardt made a discovery in the sands near ancient Armana that would become an international icon of Egypt.  He and his team uncovered the bust of a beautiful woman in the floor of an ancient royal sculptor’s workshop, reposing upside down. Even her name, Nefertiti, which translate to “a beautiful woman has come,” foretold of her impact in this modern world.  But who is the woman behind this enigmatic face?  And how did her limestone bust become a topic of controversies in our current time?

Nefertiti lived from 1370 to 1330 B.C., a typical 40 years of age for woman of her time   Some claim she was Tadukhipa, a Mitanni princess from northern Syria who changed her name to Nefertiti upon her marriage.  The prevailing theory is she was Egyptian and fathered by her uncle, Kheperkhepru Ay, a court advisor who later became a regent to King Tut, who was also her son-in-law.  To further complicate this family tree, Neferiti’s mother is thought to be Kheperkhepru Ay’s wife and sister, Tiye (also spelled Ti or Tey).  According to the site, www.geni.com., a woman named Luy may also have been Nefertit’s mother.  This site also gives reference to Nefertiti having three sisters and two brothers.

Nefertiti was between the ages of 13 and 15 when she married Amenhotep IV. They resided in Thebes for about five years, where Nefertiti gave birth to the first three of six daughters.  It was around this time that the royal couple changed their names, the site of the capital city, and the religion of all Egypt.  The couple took the names Neferneferuaten Nefertiti, “Beautiful are the beauties of Aten, a Beautiful Woman has come,” and of Akhenaten, “spirit of Aten” or “Aten is satisfied.”  The royal couple had three additional daughters in their new capital city of Akhetaton, now known as Armana.  [Note:  the city ends in the spelling “-taton” and the Pharaoh’s name ends in “-naten.”]

The proud mother, Nefertiti, gave birth to her six daughters starting at age 14 with Meritaten in 1356 B.C. and Meketaten at age 20, in 1349 B.C. .   She was 23 in 1346 B.C., at the birth of Ankhesenamun, who would become the wife of King Tut. In 1344 B.C., she gave to Tasherit, and three years later, at age 28, had Neferneferure.  She gave birth to her sixth daughter, Setepenre 1n 1339 B.C., at the age of 30. Nefertiti was considered a living fertility goddess.

It has been proposed that “the great royal wife” Nefertiti also had a son, Thutmoses, but this theory is usually dismissed.  With no heir in sight, Akhenaten took a second wife, Kiya, his “greatly beloved wife,” believed to be his sister.  Kiya bore him yet another daughter, followed by a royal heir who became King Tut.  For whatever unknown reason, it is said that Kiya fell from grace in the royal household, possibly from jealousy by Nefertiti.  Kiya soon disappeared from the court and most historic records.

Nefertiti became the tenth female ruler in ancient Egypt crowned as a female Pharaoh, from a total of thirteen who achieved this status.  These women included Hatshepsut, and ended with Cleopatra VII, the last active ruler of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt.
Like many young couples, when Nefertiti married Akhenaten, they set out to change their world.  
But unlike most, accepted as living Gods in ancient Egypt, they had the power to do so.  Living during what is considered “arguably the wealthiest period of Ancient Egyptian history,” they also had the funds.
Egypt had a holy trinity, headed by the androgynous creator-God Atum.  This primeval father gave life to twins, his son Shu and his daughter Tefnut, completing the trinity of creation. The royal couple replaced Atum with the Aten, and themselves as the royal children.  
In year five of their reign, Amenhotep IV decided to sever all ties the traditional religious capital of Thebes. They changed their names to Akhenaten and Neferneferuaten Nefertiti to reflect this and built a new religious capital on the undisturbed sands of Akhetaton, the “Horizon of Aten,” two hundred fifty miles northward.
It has been suggested that Nefertiti not only supported her husband in this new religion, but may in fact have been instrumental its creation.  A temple in Karnak, built to honor only Nefertiti, depicts her as performing rituals done only by the king, including ‘presenting Maat’ (maintaining the order of the universe) and ‘smiting the enemy’ (subduing the powers of chaos). 
The new religion brought about many changes.  Amun-Ra, depicted as a falcon headed god wearing a sun disc, was replaced by Aten, a sun disc whose rays ended in hands that could touch the king and royal family.  Some of Aten’s rays/hands extended, giving life and power, while others opened to receive offerings.  All the traditional gods were completely banned, with the Egyptian army were charged with removing the names and effigies.  Statues of Aten were not needed; the new temples were built without roofs, allowing worshippers full view of the Sun God. 

Nefertiti became co-regent with Akhenaten, a rare move without the threat of imminent war or incapacitating illness.  Their eldest daughter, Meritaten, took the role of Queen Consort, freeing Nefertiti to concentrate on her role as co-Pharoah.
Artists of this era under instructions by the pharaoh, began depicting this power couple with an intimacy never depicted with previous royal families.  In an exaggerated, almost expressionist or surrealist style, they were shown kissing and embracing, often surrounded by their children, laughing and playing.  Even their new city reflected major changes.  Instead of the rigid grid patterns of a typical Egyptian city, Armana was more like a village in layout, with the Royal Palace on its outskirts. 
Just as lifestyles were changing, major new inroads to death and dying occurred with the new cult.  No longer was ‘The Book of the Dead’ required to navigate in the underworld.  To obtain eternal afterlife, you only need follow Akhenaten’s teaching and be loyal to him. This new, simplified practice enticed the elite and mortified the old priesthood.
Around year twelve of Akhenatten’s seventeen-year reign, Nefertiti seemingly vanished from the records.   She was replaced by Smenkhkare, leading many to believe her dead.  More likely, she became Smenkhkare and now ruled in the guise of a man, a deception used by Hatshepsut in the previous century.  
In 2012, proof of her continued life during the latter part of Akhenaton’s reign came to light, found in the Dayr Abu Hinnis Quarry just north of Armana.  An inscription dated in “the year 16, month 3 of Akhetaten, day 15, the Royal Wife graced the quarry with her presence.  
This captivating woman held many other titles during her lifetime: Hereditary Princess; Great of Praises; Main King’s Wife, his beloved; Great King’s Wife, his beloved; Lady of all Women; and Mistress of Upper and Lower Egypt.
Nefertiti joined the afterlife in 1330 B.C., at the age of forty.  The exact cause of her demise is unknown, but it has been attributed to the Black Death plague, as well as simply old age. The more dramatic theory claims murder following the collapse of the Aten cult, as Egypt returned to the worship of its old Gods. 
Nefertiti faded from memory with the passing of the centuries, until a fateful day in 1913 returned her beauty to the world.  The German-Orient-Association, under the direction of German archeologist Ludwig Borchardt, unearthed her now famous face made by the royal sculptor Thutmose of Armana.  At 48 cm (19 inches) and 20 Kilos (44 pounds), this work of art radiates from the center of many current controversies.
At the time of its discovery, all archeology dig sites were bound by an agreement to equally divide all items with Egypt, in exchange for permission to dig.  Under French control at the time, the Chief Antiquities Inspector (for Egypt) was Gustave Lefebure.  Borchardt did not want to risk the bust as being selected for Egyptian bounty, so he had the bust wrapped and placed in a box in the shadows.  He informed Lefebure that it was not valuable and “made of gypsum.”  Instead of viewing the bust, Borchardt showed him a poor quality photo. Borcherdt was quoted as saying he “wanted to save the bust for us (Germany),” but later denied any wrong doing in the matter. Nefertiti was soon en route to Germany, where she spent the next 11 years in the private home of Jacques Simon, who had funded the discovery expedition.
In 1922, with the discovery of King Tut’s Tomb, England advanced to the head of the antiquities race. To return some of this glory back to Germany, Borchardt publicized an article about his discovery of the Nefertiti bust in 1923. The bust was officially displayed in 1924.  Since that time, it has also been kept in a salt mine, a bank cellar, and various museums until arriving in the Neues Museum, Berlin.
 Egypt has made multiple attempts to get Germany to return the Nefertiti bust, including a campaign by Dr. Zahi Hawass, to no avail.  Efforts still continue to date.
In part due to modern DNA testing, locating the mummy of Nefertiti could answer a multitude of questions. Several mummies have been suggested, most dismissed.  In August 2015, British archeologist Nicholas Reeves found evidence produced by penetrating radar suggestive of another tomb hidden in KV 62, behind King Tut.   Additional scans have been interpreted with varying results.  An excavation through the proposed door site in Tut’s tomb would cause great damage.  The debate over Nefertiti’s possible final resting spot continues.
The most recent controversy involving Nefertiti radiates around a facial reconstruction revealed on ‘The Today Show,’ February 5th, 2018.  Done by paleoartist Elisabeth Daynes, a 3D image of the mummy known as “The Younger Lady” from tomb KV35 was built up in the form of the famous Nefertiti bust.  Ironically, the controversy stems not from whether or not the mummy is Nefertiti (she is too young), but from cries of racism.   The reconstruction portrays her as having hazel eyes and a light complexion.  


Death did not end Nefertiti.  She is very much with us in art and history.  Her story continues to intrigue us.  She remains embroiled in controversy almost 3,400 years after her birth. Nefertiti the woman:  mother, wife, living goddess, pharaoh.



by Cathe Beebe, A.A, B.S.
February 26, 2018


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